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FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 9: Chargers

Posted by The BEAST on 2021/11/08
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, Reviews, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

HORSESHOES and hand grenades.

EAGLES 24 – Chargers 27

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EAGLES STATS:

New categories include an EXCLUSIVE weekly Offensive Line Report (Rushing TD’s + 3rd and 4th downs converted:missed of 2 yards or less – sacks allowed); as well as Drive Killer (Int – FR – 4th down Tackles – FF – TD).

Passing: (S) QB Jalen Hurts (11/17 – 64.7% – 162 – 1 – 0)

Rushing: ( R) RB Jordan Howard (17 – 71 – 4.1 – 1 – 0)

Receiving: (S) WR Devonta Smith (6 – 5 – 116 – 23.2 – 1)

Offensive Line Report: (2 + 2:0 – 1)

Drive Killer: (S) MLB T.J. Edwards (0 – 0 – 1 – 0 – 0)

Sack Leader: NO QUALIFIER

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I hear you asking, “What about all the stuff that stats don’t reveal?” Well, that’s the reason for these Four Things articles. It’s to point out what we need to address BEFORE the game. Then AFTER the game, there’s a no-bullshit assessment of whether or not the Eagles did any of what they needed to do, to ensure the win.

So how much of what I mentioned in Four Things: Chargers did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:

1) Run the ball: I said 10 – 15 hand-offs in the first half is what we needed. Well, we handed it off 18 times, and went into the half with a 10 – 7 lead. Reserve Jordan Howard had 11 of his 17 carries in the first half. Starting RB Boston Scott (10 – 40 – 4.0 – 0 – 0) had 7 of his, in the first. The formula was working like a charm.

The problem was, that they only saw a combined 9 hand-off after the half. Since I put s much emphasis on the first half in FT, I have to consider this technically “done”. However, what I wrote was not the spirit of what I meant. This is a cheapy, but… (DONE)

2) Lean, not Press: We didn’t even try. Chargers receivers ran uncontested and unmolested all day long. It was a horrible display of coaching. I say that because, if the defensive coordinator wanted the Defense to behave otherwise, he would have called other coverages.

Instead what happened was we allowed a completion percentage of 84.2. Yet again, an opposing QB was out there, practically playing catch with his son. (NOT DONE)

3) Get them on the ground: Early drives did not begin promisingly, as the Eagles kept doing that crap where they hold up the ball carrier for strip attempt. However, after the Chargers bulled their way in for a score, the Eagles (for the most part) began just getting players down on the ground.

Unfortunately, tackling was the only aspect of our Defense that was working. Coverage, pass rush, disguising looks,, etc. All that was left in Carolina, I guess.

Can I just say, while we’re discussing tackling, we seem better when S Anthony Harris (3 – 0 – 0 – 0) is sitting games out. Maybe someone should pour boiling water on his lap, then hand him the kettle. (DONE)

4) Completions in the middle: Devonta Smith’s 28 yard touchdown started as a catch in the middle. It allowed him to find room to evade defenders, and make a enough extra yardage to score. It was a great play. Unfortunately, there weren’t many of it’s kind.

Many of Hurts pass attempts get pushed outside the numbers, and often to the sidelines. This works against the Offense on many levels: It increases time the receiver has to wait for the ball to reach. It gives defenders more time to break on the ball. It limits room to run for extra yardage. We have to do better. (NOT DONE)

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So we managed 2 of Four Things this week. Maybe we’ll do better next week against a Bronco’s team that has 3 of their five wins against our division. That’s right! The only thing standing between the Broncos and a sweep of the NFC East, is us walking into their house and doing to them, what they did to Dallas this week.

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On The Whole:

We are seeing solid signs of growth in Head Coach Nick Siranni and therefore, in the team under him. Two examples would be Sirianni’s clock management right before the half, and the Defense not jumping off-sides, when Los Angeles tried to induce them, on 4th and 1. The first was an example of being present in the moment, the other of being accountable to discipline.

Our Defense on the other hand remains a joke. This is because DC Jonathan Gannon is a pussy. There is no aggression in him. No passion. He’s timid and afraid. Even though what he’s doing will get him fired, he’s too cowardly to alter it for any length of time. Even after he sees that the alterations work.

If Sirianni is going to have a coaching future, he’s going to have to fire Gannon. Gannon is dead weight. An anchor. An albatross. He’s a rotted cucumber and two D batteries.

You can tell by his face, that he’s a guy who counts his strokes. Out loud. While checking his heart rate on his Apple Watch. Then when you don’t finish, he blames you because the metrics indicate that you should’ve by now. Don’t believe it? Listen to one of his press conferences. We gotta get rid of this guy!

FOUR THINGS: WK 9: EAGLES – CHARGERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2021/11/04
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, playoffs. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

CONTINUE THE WIN STREAK!!! We ran the ball like maniacs last week. Our opponent this week, is weak, against the run. Ben Franklin is no fan of eagles, but he took a break from pimpin’ pimpin’ today to call Head Nick Sirianni and tell him “Bitch, y’all need to run the pig.”

Word, Ben. Even unto thine mother.

A win this week puts us at 4 – 5 , and keeps us just on the outside of the Wild Card picture. (Tomorrow I’m putting out an article that discusses our playoff chances. Don’t miss it!) A loss drops us to 3 – 6, but doesn’t really hurt our playoff chances that much. (Seriously. You need to read that article tomorrow.)

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The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics will practically guarantee our Eagles this win. CAUTION: I don’t have the faintest clue as to what a point spread is, and I know even less about how it works. I know football and that’s IT. If you use FT as a gambling tool, you are trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.

So let’s talk about the Four Things we need to focus on this week versus the Chargers:

1) Run the ball: The Chargers are dead last in the NFL in run defense. That reason alone suggests running the ball down their throats. Add to that, the fact that it wears down their pass rushers.. Now add to that, the fact that it makes play-action believable. Then add, that it will attract 8-man fronts, thereby opening up the vertical passing game.

We need this game to start with 10 – 15 first half hand-offs. While offensive balance is great, the primary reason we want to run the rock is, to eat up clock, and limit the Chargers opportunity to possess the ball. Especially in the first half. BTW: I don’t want to knock RB Boston Scott, but I’d rather see RB Jordan Howard wearing down their front.

2) Lean, not Press: The Chargers starting WR’s are 6’2” 211 and 6’4” 218. Neither is a burner, but both are very good route runners, who can pull down a 50/50 ball. On one hand, it wouldn’t be smart to give them free releases and let them build a head of steam. On the other hand, having our CB’s get caught up in hand-fighting, will result in easy slants and broken tackles.

The call for the day is re-directing the WR’s. Lining up close and staying tight, without being too handsy. We want to lean into the receiver, not press them. The idea is to get the QB to see them as covered, then move to his next read. That combined with solid pressure, will severely limit the Chargers ability to push the ball downfield.

3) Get them on the ground: They don’t have a rep for it, but physically, the Chargers are a deceptively strong team. RB Austin Ekler is widely regarded as one the NFL’s strongest players, pound for pound. As a result they make a lot of their yardage after contact. Much of that comes from them dragging defenders who are holding up the ball-carrier, trying to strip at the ball.

How often has that worked? In 484 offensive snaps this year, Chargers opponents have made stripping at the ball, pay-off exactly FOUR times, which equals 0.00826% of the time. You will see better odds from a bookie, than from trying strip Chargers players. A few strip attempts are fine, but in general, just make the tackle. Get them on the ground, and don’t give away free yardage.

4) Completions in the middle: Too often QB Jalen Hurts is rifling the ball at or along the sidelines. Targets between the numbers and behind the LB’s, would be easier for him to reach and keep the chains moving. Especially if we can get the Chargers to buy our play-action.

Like this!

If we do these Four Things,

The national media will be telling the world about how the Eagles have turned a corner, and that “Flower Power” must be working. If we do all four of these, the Eagles win this one in a walk. The story you won’t hear is that the Chargers QB isn’t as quite as good vs solid CB’s. He has his hands full this week.

That being said, the Chargers are a feisty team. They have four wins and three of them are 4th quarter comebacks, featuring game winning drives. We have to do things to take them out of this game. After which we have to stand on the gas.

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PREDICTION: EAGLES 27 – Chargers 23

Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how it went.

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 4: CHARGERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/10/02
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, Four Things, NFL, Offense, Players, Reviews, Special Teams, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

APPARENTLY the Eagles have two NFL stadiums. With the way the crowd acted out there in Los Angeles, you’d never know that the Eagles weren’t playing at home. (Jeff Lurie, don’t you go getting any bright ideas about moving my team!) We started the week with a tie-breaker lead in the NFC East, but we’re at a point now, where we need to start pulling away from the rest. This week was a major step in that direction.

jeffery TD

WR Alshon Jeffery catches 8 yard touchdown. Image courtesy of Philly.com

EAGLES 26 – Chargers 24

This game wasn’t as close as the score. At no point did the Chargers ever have a lead. At no point did the Eagles deviate from the script. From the outset, we grabbed the Chargers by the throat, pinned them to a wall, and began to bludgeon them into unconsciousness. Not punching like with knuckles, but pounding, like with the side of the fist. 

I told you there’d be a 100 yard rusher, and that was RB LeGarrette Blount (16 – 136 – 8.5 – 0 – 0). RB Wendell Smallwood (10 – 34 – 3.4 – 1 – 0/ 4rec – 45 – 11.2 – 0) also got in on the act,  chipping in a TD on a goal line, dive behind LG Stefen Wisniewski. Our Defense held the Chargers to just 58 yards on the ground, despite giving up a 35 yard TD run. K Jake Elliott (4/4 – 2/2x) nailed every one of his field goal attempts, each of which was from 40 yards or better. K Caleb Sturgis may want to break out the resume polish.

I hear you asking, “What about all the stuff that stats don’t reveal?” Well, that’s the reason for these “Four Things” articles. We introduce an idea of what needs addressing BEFORE the game, so that fans have to honestly answer questions about those things, AFTER the game. This helps to get us, and keep us, all on the same page.

So, of the Four Things we were looking for in this last game, what exactly did we see?

1) Don’t go changin…: Shutting down the Chargers run game is a key to stopping them, but it doesn’t require a team going overboard and putting fifty-leven men in the box. We played it straight, took away the run and made them one-dimensional. (DONE)

2) Start the presses! : The Chargers “only” completed 57.8% of their passes which is down dramatically from the prior two weeks (75 and 74.4%). That however, wasn’t due to receivers being challenged at the line. STILL this week free releases were everywhere. It’s why this was a 2 point win instead of a 20 point win. The Chargers had no business posting a touchdown in this game. None whatsoever. (NOT DONE)

3) Run the damned ball: 42 rushes. 31 passes. (DONE)

4) Air it out: QB Carson Wentz (17/31 – 54.8% – 242 – 1 – 0) threw that monkey deep, a few times. Having to respect that, meant there was no way for Charger Safeties to help their front seven stop Blount, as he romped and frolicked in their wilderness. (DONE)

This weeks score is a rock solid 3 out of 4. By rock solid, I mean that everything that that was DONE, was really done, not just “technically”done. That brings the season’s mark to 10 out of 16. (I gotta say, 10 out of 16 sort of has a nice ring to it.) Next week, the 2-2 Arizona Cardinals will be stopping by the Linc, to pick up a shiny new “L” to hang around their necks. Should be fun!

On The Whole:

This was an excellent win. It was a cold-hearted, physical, methodical bludgeoning, and we did it on the road.

We did it despite injury. We did it without panicking when the lead was twice cut to two points. We did it because we could, and because they couldn’t stop us, and because we KNEW they couldn’t stop us.

We ran them over. Not like a truck, but like a steamroller. It was slow and it was agonizing. You could see the day, as it played out across the countenance of the Chargers QB. How he yelled and screamed. Cussed and howled. All for nothing. Even when granted the touchdown he pleaded for, his team was damned all the same. All the same.

Of course…there are things we can improve upon. But now, after THIS win, THIS way, is not the time to get into discussing flaws. Now is for enjoying and relishing. Because this, was an excellent win.

FOUR THINGS: WK 4: EAGLES-CHARGERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/09/28
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, Four Things, NFL, Offense, Players, Preview, Roster. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 3 Comments

W4-LAC

YOU know what would be nice? A win streak. Streak meaning, more than one win in row. So far this season reads like a cardiograph. Up, down, up, down. (And often it does that during a game!) Now is the week we need to start seeing it all come together.

After the emotional high that was last week’s walk-off field goal, it’s only natural if the players (and even the fans here), seem a little flat this week. That’s why it’s so great that this is a road game, biiiiitch!!!

rick dance.gif

Our team gets to go into hostile territory, and get into the foxhole mentality that we’ve seen developing over the weeks. Now is not the time for this team to get too confident. Winning another fist-fight, is just what we need.

So let’s talk about the Four Things we need to focus on this week versus the Chargers :

1) Don’t go changin… : The knee-jerk reaction will be to overload the box, to stop RB Melvin Gordon, and that’s not necessary. Gordon is a workhorse, not a home run hitter. Loading the box only opens things up for other players. Taking away his help shuts down the QB, and puts the game squarely in Gordon’s lap. He alone can’t outscore the Eagles. Nothing in his career even hints at such an ability.

2) Start the presses! : Over the last two weeks we’ve allowed completion percentages of 75 and 74.4% respectively. No team’s playoff hopes can survive that. Especially against big WR’s like the Chargers have. If were going to have any chance at winning this game, we have to challenge these receivers at the line more than we’ve been doing in the recent past.

3) Run the damned ball: We need to run in first down to keep third downs manageable. Also, the Chargers give up 4.7 yard per run, and are the 31st ranked run defense in the NFL. They give up an average of 32 minutes in time of possession. Our re-couping Defense could use some extended rest between drives. Especially with Arizona coming up next week. There is literally a yellow brick road to this win.

ybr-win

That’s right. I got Rick Sanchez and Judy Garland in the SAME article. You get a 1,000 cool points if you can tell me which one put down more booze.

4) Air it out: QB Carson Wentz was less than stellar last week, but the run game carried him. And that’s a good thing! It shows that opponents must plan for our entire team, and thus creates more breathing room for Wentz. That said, he needs to air it out this week. If the run game is to become a serious weapon, it needs space created for it.

wentzsprolesblitz

If we do all these things, we’re just about guaranteed to win. Now that we’ve covered what should happen, let’s get into what likely will happen:

The Eagles will look to keep it simple early. Young team, away game, loud venue, emotional win a week ago. Head Coach Doug Pederson will want to settle his players, and get them dialed in, before breaking out the big boy stick. TE Zach Ertz will be involved earlier than last week, due to Kyle Emanuel being an OTTO and not a true OLB. (Think of an OTTO as a 3-4 OLB playing in a 4-3 scheme, with all the limitations of a 3-4 OLB playing in a 4-3 scheme.) If the Chargers don’t pull Emanuel off the field a lot, Ertz may go to Canton based on this game.

If you’ve been waiting to see an Eagles RB have a 100 yard day, this could be your week! Given that the Chargers LB’s are an undersized bunch, second level blocking will be key in this game to springing any long runs.

On Defense if we don’t press the receivers we’ll never get a chance to get in QB Phillip River’s face. He will eat us alive and it won’t matter how many yards we run for. We will get neither pressure, nor turnovers, and we may come away with a shiny new “L”. We MUST play some press coverage. I however can’t say that we will for sure.

We should score 20 points in this game, at least. How we play on defense will determine whether or not the Chargers stay with us and turn what should be a blowout into a shootout. Right now based on how our Secondary has played since last season, I have to go with shootout.

PREDICTION: EAGLES 20 – Chargers 17

yeah bitch